If you own a flat, the chances are you own a lease. What you might not know is that the value of your flat will decrease as the term of the lease runs down, especially if it has only 80 years or less left to run. We can help if your freeholder refuses to discuss an extension or won’t agree a price. We can also help if you are a freeholder having difficulty reaching an agreement with your leaseholders over a lease extension.

There are many reasons why you might want to buy the freehold of your building, most obviously to get control and management of the block and service charges. Often, this will involve a group of leaseholders. Collective enfranchisement is when leaseholders club together to buy the freehold of a building and is another area we can assist with.

Similarly, we can help with service charge disputes, one of the main areas of dispute between tenants and landlords.

Your landlord is responsible for carrying out essential maintenance and repairs to leaseholds. Details of the areas your landlord is responsible for will be set out in your lease agreement although if your landlord won’t make any necessary repairs, despite repeated requests to do so, we can help.

Alternatively, if you don’t want, or can’t afford, to buy the freehold of your building, you can still get a right to manage your property, which will often involve a group of leaseholders. As with any issue involving your home, it is always worthwhile getting good legal advice to ensure you follow the right procedure and avoid unnecessary costs, delays or stress.